A new wine bar in a shipping container is coming to New Islington

This weekend sees the opening of Le Social’s Wine Bar in Manchester’s up-and-coming art, culture and craft community, Pollard Yard in New Islington.

The bar sits within a shipping container transformed into a cosy, minimalist hideaway, with organic and biodynamic wine making up the majority of Le Social’s offering.  

Every Saturday between 2pm and 10pm, guests at the Pollard Yard venue will be able to experience an ever-changing menu of natural wines, deli boards and continental plates.

Tables are bookable for two hours so guests can enjoy at their own pace, and as space is limited bookings are mandatory to save disappointment. 

The menu offers an array of authentic  French, Spanish and Italian produce, which like the wine are created with responsibly sourced ingredients and support a community of independent farmers and producers.

Designed for sharing, dishes include Spanish green olives and salted almonds, Catalan sardines in olive oil, Italian eggplant fillets in olive oil, roasted artichoke halves, French duck rillettes and black humus from the Basque Country as well as cheese selected weekly by Butcher’s  Quarter and bread from Companio Bakery.

The shelves are stacked with Le Social’s diverse range of unique and quirky wines, so if a bottle catches your eye feel free to take your pick and simply pay the usual retail price plus £5 corkage to enjoy in the setting.

By rotating their selection and including options with a different style and price point, everyone can feel confident that there is a bottle for them on the shelves, say owners.  

Also launching this month is Le Social’s Tasting Room, designed to host wine tastings, workshops and private functions.

The full calendar of events will include educational tasting  nights, art exhibitions, craft workshops with other Pollard Yard residents and more to be  announced.

The Tasting Room is available to hire for private tasting sessions and boutique event experiences for birthdays, work functions and any other celebrations. The minimalist nature of the space means guests can add their own personal touches on request.

Le Social was born during lockdown when founder Jérôme Boullier delivered wine straight to his friends’ house for a small fee, with all profits going to charity.

Beyond a passion for wine, Jérôme’s wider mission is to advocate for a more inclusive and representative wine world by working with independent, sustainable and minority wine producers.

“With Le Social I want to create an alternative wine-led space which is centred on experience and inclusivity,” he says.

“The Wine Bar and Tasting Room will serve as cosy destinations where all are welcome to appreciate delicious wine with a purpose and food that will enhance the experience.

“The intimate nature of the bar means customers will gain knowledge as well as try out something new and exciting and meet new people in doing so.

“Wine has always been part of my everyday life, as a child I was often sent to the wine cellar in my grandparents’ house to find a specific bottle for the occasion.

“Family rituals were always accompanied by wines appropriately matched, and I was invited to try from a pretty young age! 

“I’m so happy that I now have the opportunity to pursue my passion in a meaningful way. I’m very excited to show the space off.” 

Le Social Wine Bar will be open every Saturday from the 29th January onwards at Container 147 Pollard Yard, 15 Pollard Street East, M40 7SL. Bookings for the bar and Tasting Room can be made via their website, and private function enquiries can be sent to [email protected] or call 0161 818 9906.